Process and means for controlling the application of reagents to solutions



Patented June 2, 1931 UNITEDA STATES PATENT orFicE l WALTON C. GRAHAM, FDENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR TO GILCHRIST &"COMPANY, A

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE i PIROGESS AND MEANS FOR CONTBOLLING THEAPPLICATION OF REAGENTS TO l SOLUTIONS Application filed July 2,

My vinvention relates to improvements in processes and means forcontrolling the application of reagents to solutions and thepurification of solutions and liquids, of the character disclosed in myco-pending application No. 9,030,1iled' February 13, 15.9252. y

' Said process, as illustrated by the liming of sugar solutions, iscarried out by heating the solution sufficiently to cause at leastincipient coagulation of albumenoid material plication of fluidreagents, to fluids or solutions wherein the same processis preferablyoperated continuously; that is, where a flow of untreated material iscaused to enter the apparatus and displace an equal amount of treatedmaterial, and `where the application of the reagent must be continuousand at such lrate and in such amounts fas will corre'- spond to therequirements and physical and chemical state of the entering solution,even though such physical or chemical state may be subjectto variation.

' This invention provides means and a process whereby this may beaccomplished, the

rate of application of the reagent'being preferably controlled (byvisual inspection, in Imany cases, supplemented by vsuch tests as may berequired. v l

In order to make this inspection during operation, a small portion ofthe vuniformly mixed body of the liquid is caused to pass through aninspection gauge, and return to ciiculation, this inspectionvgaugeconsisting mainly of a tube of transparent material, as

glass', havingV necessary Vvalves at each end for retarding or stoppingthe llow, if desired, and means for vwithdrawing a sample,

and having a light so arranged ashto throw the liquid Vcirculatingthrough the inspeci925. serial No. 41,222.

tion tube into relief'and thus exhibiting plainly various of itsproperties, such as color, clearness and physical state of suspendedsolids, by means of which the condition of the Vbody of liquid may bejudged.

If desired, one of the valves may be closed to hold the liquid Withinthe glass tube quiescent momentarily, for closer inspection, and uponopening the valve the movement of the liquid through the inspectiongauge will be resumed. If, upon inspection or testing, the state of thebody of liquid be found to be as desired, no change in the rate ofaddition of reagent is made, but if, as may happen, it be found thatthere is a slight deficiency of reagent, it is theny necessary toincrease the rate of addition, or the reverse. By frequent observationand testing at intervals corresponding to the probable variationsinrequirement-s and by increasing or decreasing the low of reagent inaccordance with these observations andtests, the physical orchemicalstatelof the treated liquid flowing from the apparatus may bevmaintained `within veryr narrow limits, and close enough to a givenstandard vfor 'all practical` purposes.

The object of the present invention is to 'able apparatus for carryingout the invention wherein the Vliquid `reagent is mainof discharge ofthe reagent from the system.

The fluid material to be treated is intro-A duced into the chamber 10through a suit'- ably located inlet ll and circulated by means of thepropeller l2 located within an inner receptacle 13;v The reagent may be'tained under pressure, and means for varying the pressure in thesystem, and the rat-c seV introduced byinean's of the pipe la and the fY constricted openings formed by Vthe spray nozzles 15 by which means itis deposited upon the surface of the body of* circulating"Vincorporated,fthe treated lliquid Hows out-'at 18 in proportion as theuntreated liquid enters at 11.

' Thereagent is stored ina suitable tank 19 from which it is WithdrawnAby a. pump.

20 through the pipe 21 and discharged into the pipe 14. A further pipeline 22 con- Y nects line 14 with the tank 19. the line 22 beingprovided with a suitable valve 23 and a pressure gauge 24 locatedbetween the said valve and thejunction of thepipes l1 4 and 9,42.

With this arrangement, it will be, seen that Y by completely closing thevalve 2,3, the maximum pressure which may be develepled, by the pumpWill be applied to the. openings-15, and the rate of discharge ofreagent will then be in proportion to that pressure, Whereas, if thevalve be partiallyA opened, thus increasing the area of dischargeopenings froin the system and returning a portion of the reagent to thetank 19, the pressure in the system Will be reduced inproportion to theextent of said openings and the rate of discharge of the 'reagentthrough. the nozzles Will be decreased in proportion to such decrease inpressure.

Itis apparent that `the pressure Within the system formed by the seriesof pipes. and the pump, and proportionately the rate of discharge of thereagent .into the chamber 1 may be varied by infinite gradations, byvarious adjustments of the valvey 23, between zero pressure and. themaximum capacity of the. pump, and each setting. of the valve willcorrespond toa definite pressure which -Will be indicated on. the gaugeV24, which gauge reading Will served as a ,standardl of comparison. ofthe various ratesV ot applica- Vinin'ation of the addition ofthe tion ofreagent. j j y A screen or screens 25l may be inserted in the pipe line,if necessary, tol prevent clog.-V

ging of the nozzles.` Y

In order to observe the condition ofthe `liquidin the main tank 10, aglass tube 26 `may be connected therewith, as s hoivn, and provided withsuitable valves 22, whereby a portion of .the circulating liquid mayV besegregated and its condition. noted. The proper condition of the liquidfor the ter- Y reagent may be determined almost instanta.neouslyV byIthe rapidity of settling of the'i'locks orf-particles inthe portion. ofthe liquid in, the glass tube andV also by its color.-V Regulation ofvalves 27 and-inspection of the gauge 24v as Well as inspection of thecontents of the glass tube 26 enables the operator to regulate-thevtreatment of the liquid with.-` great accuracy `and extremeease.V j Yy.. The invention is particularly applicable Where it may be desired toapply two orl more different reagents` separatelyv and simultaneously tothe contents of the chamber `10 this may be accomplished by duplicatingthe pressiue system, one for eachreagent.

Vhat I claim is:

1. The method of treating lsugar-'containing` juices to removenon-saccharine colloidal impurities therefrom comprising .rapidlycirculating a body of the juice repeatedly Within: itself, adding en.alkaline reagent thereto iii nely dis'p,ersed..ferrn,

Vinstantly mixing the added reagent throughont the entire body of thejuice thereby obrtaining lllnform distribution within. the juice anduniform treatment thereof, circulating a part of the juice undertreatment through a transparent conduit outside ot the main bodyof-.thejuice toenable its, conditionto be visu.'- allyobserved'COntinuously, pumping the ifea,-

gent a closed cycle out ofv and baokagain through a storedvbody ofVreagent te keep the saine. continuously agitated, ldiverting a portion0f the. f circulated reagent, v. under pressure and spraying saiddiverted portion onto the rec'irculating juice-regulating the amount ofiReagent sprayedk in accordance with. the, juice. condition. as it.isvisnal'ly ob.- served to thereby gradually and progres; sire-ly enablethe `alkaline reagentl to, cause the flocculatio-n of the saidimpurities. With,- -ont-.local oyeraction aiecting thel sucrose present.and; Simultaneously maintaining `the speedof` recirculation of the main;body of juice to, aid the upbuil'dying of the locsand l.,

prevent Y delocculation by too., rapid agi,- tation Y 2;. A method oftreatingT ajliquid Withia .reagent comprising` recirculating a. bodyV ofY the liquid continuously, adding fresh liquid te and withdrawingtreated liquid-` troml said body continuously, 4spraying the reagentcontinuously onto a large surfacev oit-'said body always atthev samepoints. in, the cycle or recirculation, continuously segregating averagesamplesf of the liquid' under treatment and; conducting them. pastpoi-nt of observation4 and returningthem thereafter to the main' body ofthe liquid,fcontinuously pumping. aquantity of reagent from a reagbentsource and spraying a. portion of'it ontoY said surface, regulatingthe pressure of the reagent between. thepump and lthe spray `and henceAvaryingA the` amount sprayedby varying a` restricted. return ovvof Athe. reagenttroni-the delivery side-of the pump-.back i to` said source,the amountof saidfpressure being varied'. in accordance with a char- 'Yacteristic Yof' they liquid flowing past; saidV pointl ot observation.and-simultaneously sive addition of the reagent to all portionsl of theliquid as they Vrecirculate back to the surface for further treatment,pumping v the reagent from a source of supply and conducting some of itdirectly to be sprayed upon said liquid While returning to said sourcethe balance not sprayed, segregating.

an average sample of the liquid While recirculating the Whole andobserving its condition and then regulating the return of i reagent tothe tank to vary the discharge pressure on the reagent being sprayed tothereby alter the treatment of the liquid by varying the rate ofaddition of reagent in accordance with variations of its dischargepressure and simultaneously maintaining the speed of recirculation ofthe main body of juice to aid the upbuilding of the locs and preventdeflocculation by too rapid agitation.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

WALTON C. GRAHAM.

